When you type in your "code" in wc3, it is simply compressed data of which the same is a bank. So yes, banks are necessary because writing down codes is a noob shit pain in the ass way to do it - srsly.
The live tracking system of stats, and logging each time people play with their friends are all completely within the bounds of bank files. There is no tutorial because no one has really done it yet to that degree, but it is entirely possible.
Player Handles are the biggest addition to the Triggering world IMO, with Patch 1.4.0. It is early days but I believe I have figured out how they work, if I am wrong then please correct me, we are all learning here.
On a standard windows install, your account files are kept at: C:\User\My Documents\Starcraft II\Accounts.
Upon opening that folder there will be another folder (or more) with numerals, ie: 123456789.
I believe that this is your unique identifier across the entire Battle.net system - ie, your account number that is registered to your email address. It is an incremental number, so someone would have the number 1/2/3 etc, although I am unsure where it started, it could have started at 10 million for all I know.
Inside these folders, are other folders, which are your unique identifier on Starcraft II's section of Battle.net (Something similar to Character Codes). They will look like this, 1-S2-1-123456.
So to summerise, the first one which is 123456789 is basically like a REALID.
The second one which is 1-S2-1-123456 is like a Character Code - and it is the Player's Handle.
Taking a look
So we are going to break apart this and take a look.
I have three accounts on my computer, 1 NA, 2 EU and 6 SEA, so I have confirmed these are the server IDs, I am not sure what the rest are though, I presume there could be LA, TW, KR, RU somewhere in there, I am not too sure if it is physical server so if both LA and NA share "1" or if it is dynamic servers.
1 : NA
2 : EU
3 : KR/TW
4 : ??
5 : CN
6 : SEA
99 : BETA Server (Not always turned on)
Game ID:
S2 : Starcraft II
Expansion ID:
I am not too sure about this one, it could be an expansion ID and I presume it is, but I have no evidence to support it.
1 : Wings of Liberty
Account Number:
Incremental number from the time you registered.
123456 : Your ID Number.
What you can do with them
Player Handles are Strings, and are unique to each player. They are not "Names" because names can be changed for a fee* remember :) But they are even better.
The possibilities are endless, you can actually create a live tracking system of stats, or log how many times each person has played with their friends etc.
But the number one reason I presume most people will want this ID is Banlists.
This ID opens up the door for creating Banlists, for those who know the theory behind it, you now have the opportunity to do it. For those that do not know, then you probably shouldn't be making banlists anyways.
Use it wisely though; abuse of this system might open the floodyway for complaints to blizzard and they could very well take it off us. I have an ignore list nearly a mile long of stupid kids who pissed me off, but remember they are just that, kids. Very few of them would I ever actually think about banning from say Tofu, forever, because even if they are little pricks, leave em be, karma will bite them in the ass sooner or later, you don't need to be the hand of god.
...
When you type in your "code" in wc3, it is simply compressed data of which the same is a bank. So yes, banks are necessary because writing down codes is a noob shit pain in the ass way to do it - srsly.
The live tracking system of stats, and logging each time people play with their friends are all completely within the bounds of bank files. There is no tutorial because no one has really done it yet to that degree, but it is entirely possible.
@marktronic: Go
This was always possible.
Player Handles
Player Handles are the biggest addition to the Triggering world IMO, with Patch 1.4.0. It is early days but I believe I have figured out how they work, if I am wrong then please correct me, we are all learning here.
On a standard windows install, your account files are kept at: C:\User\My Documents\Starcraft II\Accounts.
Upon opening that folder there will be another folder (or more) with numerals, ie: 123456789.
I believe that this is your unique identifier across the entire Battle.net system - ie, your account number that is registered to your email address. It is an incremental number, so someone would have the number 1/2/3 etc, although I am unsure where it started, it could have started at 10 million for all I know.
Inside these folders, are other folders, which are your unique identifier on Starcraft II's section of Battle.net (Something similar to Character Codes). They will look like this, 1-S2-1-123456.
So to summerise, the first one which is 123456789 is basically like a REALID.
The second one which is 1-S2-1-123456 is like a Character Code - and it is the Player's Handle.
Taking a look
So we are going to break apart this and take a look.
1 - S2 - 1 - 123456
1 (Server ID) - S2 (Game ID) - 1 (Expansion ID??) - 123456 (Incremental ID number).
Server IDs:
I have three accounts on my computer, 1 NA, 2 EU and 6 SEA, so I have confirmed these are the server IDs, I am not sure what the rest are though, I presume there could be LA, TW, KR, RU somewhere in there, I am not too sure if it is physical server so if both LA and NA share "1" or if it is dynamic servers.
Game ID:
Expansion ID:
I am not too sure about this one, it could be an expansion ID and I presume it is, but I have no evidence to support it.
Account Number:
Incremental number from the time you registered.
What you can do with them
Player Handles are Strings, and are unique to each player. They are not "Names" because names can be changed for a fee* remember :) But they are even better.
The possibilities are endless, you can actually create a live tracking system of stats, or log how many times each person has played with their friends etc.
But the number one reason I presume most people will want this ID is Banlists.
This ID opens up the door for creating Banlists, for those who know the theory behind it, you now have the opportunity to do it. For those that do not know, then you probably shouldn't be making banlists anyways.
Use it wisely though; abuse of this system might open the floodyway for complaints to blizzard and they could very well take it off us. I have an ignore list nearly a mile long of stupid kids who pissed me off, but remember they are just that, kids. Very few of them would I ever actually think about banning from say Tofu, forever, because even if they are little pricks, leave em be, karma will bite them in the ass sooner or later, you don't need to be the hand of god.